Saturday, January 24, 2009

Author Gwen Hayes

Please join me in welcoming the fabulous and talented author, Gwen Hayes, to Killer Fiction. In addition to being just a super cool chick, Gwen has been my guru of all thing YA as I’ve branching out into this newer, younger genre. If there is anything about teenager lit out there to be known, Gwen knows it. Her funny paranormal romance book Oh, Goddess, about a thousand year old goddess stuck in a human body, comes out next week and I highly recommend it. So, take it away Gwen…


Thanks to the lovely writers at Killer Fiction for letting me crash the party today. I'm working up a case of nerves for my latest release from Samhain Publishing next week, so staying busy is great. I took on a little extra angst because all author and editor proceeds are being donated to the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, and now I'm concerned that I'll be sending them a check for $10 or something. If you are interested in learning more about how you can help fight this insideous disease, please visit http://www.coalitionforpf.org/ . To learn more about my short story for the cause, Oh Goddess, please visit http://samhainpublishing.com/coming/oh-goddess.

So, how have I been filling my time?

Last weekend, I watched "When Harry Met Sally" for the umpteenth time total and the second time in a month. I have no idea what compelled me to watch it again after such a short interval--but if pressed I will call it research as I tend to write romantic comedy and Nora Ephron is pretty much a deity for the genre. On the down low--I find it comforting and easier on my hips than chocolate chip cookies.

I noticed something different about the film every time I watch it, but what occurred to me this time is how differently I see the heroine, Sally, played by Meg Ryan, now that I am closer to Sally's age in the movie. When the flick hit theaters in 1989, I was 19 years old. Of course, I knew everything then and I knew that Sally was totally justified in her anger at Harry for the way things happened after they fell into bed. (I usually try to discuss these things spoiler free, but the movie is 20-years-old now. It's like getting mad at people for saying "Luke, I am your father.")

Now, I'm a little more compelled to tell Sally to quit acting like one of "those" girls. The ones that say one thing to men when they mean another, but then get mad at men for not being able to figure it out. She said "It was a mistake" and he agreed with her. They both decided not to let it ruin their friendship and then she proceeded to shut him completely out of her life while telling him what a jerk he was.

huh.

So--what classic movies do you see differently now than when you first watched them? Do you now look at Andi in "Pretty in Pink" and wonder why she held out for the rich boy with no personality when she could have had Ducky? Do you see "The Outsiders" as a bunch of pretty boy punks now? Is "Red Dawn" no longer the scariest thing you can imagine happening?

Let's dish--keep me from thinking about Tuesday.

Gwen Hayes...saving the world one love story at at time.
www.gwenhayes.com

12 comments:

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Congratulations on your release!

Funny, I just watched When Harry Met Sally this weekend and still love it as much as ever. I didn't have a problem with the way that Sally reacted the morning after though - particularly as she already knew Harry's MO from his own self reporting. He was treating her like he treated all the other women he'd loved and left and she was affronted.

And it worked better for the story conflict too :)

Gwen Hayes said...

You're right. You're right. I know you're right.

Crystal Jordan said...

Dude, you totally spoiled Star Wars for someone, you know that, right?

Gwen Hayes said...

I guess I better not start on "The Sixth Sense".

Evie Byrne said...

Your list of 80's movies really brought back the memories. Ducky!? Red Dawn! OMG.

Here's one that changed for me. In high school I lurrrved Amadeus. It was the bestest movie ever. I saw it over and over.

Years (and years) passed by without seeing it again, and then I rented it last month. It was so overacted and didactic, it made me want to tear my eyeballs out. I couldn't even watch it to the end.

So I guess I've changed. Huh. Reassuring.

Gwen Hayes said...

I love the 80's.
And the song about Amadeus still rocks, even if the movie doesn't.

Anonymous said...

I finally saw that movie a while ago. I think I'd seen bits and pieces of it before but never the entire thing. It wasn't bad. I can't think of any movies I've rewatched and reconsidered, though I'm sure there are some.

Great post, Gwen! I'll even forgive you for ruining Star Wars and The Sixth Sense for me. *sigh* (Okay, no actual ruining occurred, but I have to blame you for something, right?)

Gemma Halliday said...

I'll admit Mr. Big tried to get me to watch Broadcast News last night and halfway through I had to say, "This is an 80's movie, isn't it?" It just had that giant shoulder pad smell to it.

~Gemma

Chrissy said...

My favorite movie of all time is The Quiet Man. After loving it for years I noticed a lot of the undercurrents with regard to Ireland and violence in college and wrote a long essay about it.

It came out in 1956, I think. I still love it, but with new eyes.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to read Oh Goddess!

EmilyBryan said...

Evie--I never watched Amadeus for the acting. It was always that sublime music.

Some things never change.

Anonymous said...

Oh Goddess is a screwball romantic comedy on steroids. I love Gwen's writing so much. I love her even more for donating the proceeds for this.